Full Metal AlchemistThe Aftermath
by SyKOpriest
Summary: The story is a continuation of the popular anime series Full Metal Alchemist and takes place three years after the movie ends.
1. Prologue

Taking place three years after Ed and Al entered the real world. The War is almost over and Germany is on the verge of defeat. Its brave Fuhrer Hitler cannot save it from the enemies they have made. All of the world is against them. Ed and Al are stuck in a small town of Germany with nowhere to go. Shreds of their Alchemical powers still linger in their bodies but as days pass they feel it fading slowly but surely.Ed now works in a Explosive producing factory where his knowledge of explosives is paying him big bundles of money and Alphonse is surprisingly still unemployed.

Back in the alchemy world, Colonel Roy Mustang has risen to the rank of Fuhrer and is now known as Fuhrer Roy 'Hawkeyed' Mustang. The nickname comes from the fact that he is engaged with Leftenant Hawkeye. Major Armstrong has taken over as the Military Ambassador in Leor and is developing the city 'in his image'(By 'in his image' i mean LITERALLY in his image).

Winry competed in the Automail mechanics Award event and is now working for a huge automail engineering company in Central City. Unfortunately her grandmother died a year back. She has been laid to rest beside the house and Winry visits her once every month.And speaking of death, Hughes' grave is filled with flowers and is visited by his wife and daughter who is now 7 years old. Winry sometimes visits him as well. And some reports confirm that at night a figure is seen to pay his respects in secrecy to Hughes and according to the witnesses the figure looks similar to Fuhrer Roy Mustang although no confirmation has been found.

Everything is going as they should, when one day Fuhrer Mustang got a report stating that the sealed gate to the real world is showing signs of reactivation.

At the same time, a new type of explosive was being developed in Germany as a desperate means of winning the war. This new type of bomb had immense destructive power and some speculate that it might even destroy the entire planet. But all these fell into deaf ears as the war climbed its climax. Germany had finished developing the most powerful bomb the world had ever seen. Coincidentally, it was Edward's factory which got the order to mass produce this explosive.

Fuhrer Mustang sent out a group of state alchemists to investigate the phenomena. And sent a message to a very unlikely ally. The leader of New Ishbal. Oh i almost forgot to mention that the Ishbalites have been given freedom and the right to call them a country once again as soon as Roy Mustang was appointed Fuhrer. This new leader was a very shrewd and demanding leader who wanted to make Ishbal the most powerful nation in the alchemical world but strangely he was good friends with Roy Mustang.

The message was a request to study their ancient method of alchemy. Roy Mustang was trying to find a way to completely destroy the gate between the two worlds.

After a day of hard work, Ed returned home to his loving wife, and his brother. I forgot to mention that Ed has married as well. And if you guessed that it was the gypsy girl, you were right. He did marry her. Al still has feelings for Winry and longs to see her again although he knows its not possible anymore.

Unknown to the two brothers, the laws of equivalency has demanded that their time of peace come to an end and thus the two worlds are heading for a collision course that will reunite them with their old friends and some old nemesis.


	2. Reopening of the gate

One month after Ed got the contract for mass producing the new explosives, the warehouse was overloaded and the staffs were getting scared because of the risk of a huge explosion. The next shipment is due next week and the explosives are kept at an unsafe level. Everyone is tensed, most of all Ed since its his duty to manage the workflow and the lives of all the workers is in his hands and because he is going to be a father soon. He did not want to set an example like his father. he wanted to be with his child and spend his time with his family. Everyday he returned home with worries crowding his mind and everyday the two brothers quarelled over childish matters.

Meanwhile, Fuhrer Mustang is puzzled over the disappearance of the men he sent out to investigate the gate. Its been over a month and the men still has not reported in. Furthermore, the rescue squad has not returned as well. He decided to check this out himself and called an old friend to accompany him on his travels-MajorArmstrong. Together the duo set out to check the site of the gate.

Late at night the entire town of Munich was blinded by a flash of light as bright as the sun followed by a huge roar like thousands of thunder sounding at the same time trailed by a earthquake. The warehouse situated 50 miles away from the city had exploded leaving behind a crater 70 miles in diameter. Ed immediately realized that the worst had come to pass. He rushed out of the house and got in his car and speeded off to the warehouse.

Major Armstrong was close to the gate examining it and Mustang was standing beside him pondering why it had started showing activity since the last month? When suddenly he was knocked off his feet by Armstrong thrown on top of him. When they both regained balance, they saw that the gate was now open once again.

There he saw something very familiar at the centre of the crater.The open gate was staring at Edward as if calling him to step into it. He started moving toward it as if mesmerised, lusting to regain his alchemical powers.

Al knew as soon as he heard the explosion that it came from Ed's factory. He rushed out the instant he realized this and ran straight for Ed's car. However Ed had already gone and Al desperate to follow his brother gave a try to transmute a car. To his surprise, he managed to create a car and drove to the site of the explosion as fast as he could. What he say was a vista so surreal that he had trouble believing it. The gate was back once again and standing on the edge of the crater was his brother, inching ever closer to the accursed gate.

"Hmm, this is a puzzling situation. What do you suppose we do"  
"Let me try my beautiful alchemy passed throughout my family line and try to block this gate once again. Look at my muscles Fuhrer, they are bulging with excitement. See how determined they are"  
"Go ahead"

No matter how many times Armstrong tried, he could not seal the gate. All the stone statues he made and all the stone slabs he tried to put over the gate to cover it was sucked in.

Ed and Al were staring at the gate when they saw something coming towards them at a fast speed. Before they could move, they were both hit in the face with something hard that came from beyond the gate and both of them were knocked out.

After regaining consciousness, they saw that it was a statue of a certain very muscular and bald person they both knew. They each looked at each other and even in this dire situation could not help but smile. They decided to send something down as well.

Fuhrer Mustang was stooping over closely examining the gate when he spotted something suspicious in the distance. Suddenly it jumped at Mustang and he instantly reacted and blew it away with the flick of a wrist as if it was nothing.

"Do you think that was a good idea brother"  
"Why not? Al"  
"What if someone gets hurt"  
"I DO hope its the Colonel.HE HE HEHE"  
"You shouldn't say stuffs like that brother"  
"Oh shut up Al, you're still a child"  
"No i'm not"  
"Yes you are"  
"NO I'm not"  
"Yes, yes, yes"  
"NO. That's it brother im not speaking with you"  
"Hmph. What a child"  
"Well you're shorter than a child"  
"AREYOUSAYINGTHATIMASHORTFREAKOFNATUREWHOISNOTHINGMORETHANATINYBACTERIAWHONEEDSTOBESEENWITHAMICROSCOPEBECAUSEHECANNOTBESEENNORMALLYBECAUSEHEISSHORT"  
"I dnt understand what you are saying brother"  
"You dont have to"  
"Then why are you trying to tell me these things"  
"Shut up Al"

Winry was on her way to Rosembool when she decided to pay a visit to Fuhrer Mustang. When she arrived at Central Headquarters she was informed that Mustang has gone over to check out a disturbance in the gate. She thought of asking Hawkeye and learned the details about the disturbance from her. When she heard that the gate had opened once again, she said a short farewell to and got out in a hurry.

In the smoke of the blast Both Armstrong and Mustang were limited in vision and they were alert in preparation of a surprise attack from an unknown enemy when Armstrong noticed a shape in the distance.

"What is it Fuhrer"  
"It seems strangely familiar"  
"A short thin object with a round face and a red coat"  
"Hmm"  
"I recall having seen something like this sometime"  
"Are you sure? I dont recall seei. . . . . . . . ."  
"FULLMETAL"  
"FULLMETAL"

Both of them cried out at once as Ed's trademarked 'short' mannenquin with a red coat and a large round head with angry eyes and a tiny patch of hair on the forehead comes into focus. As the smoke dispersed and the dust settled, they could see it in full focus. And both were glad to see this representative of Ed in here.

"Umm. Major Armstrong"  
"Al? Is that you"  
"Colonel Mustang"  
"I'm here but i dont see you or your brother anywhere. Although i'm not surprised at not being able to see your brother"  
("Al tell him that i can hear every word he says CLEARLY")  
"Can you see us?"  
"No Sir"  
"Where are you"  
"I'm on the other side of the gate"  
"Is Ed there with you"  
"He is, but only i can talk like this. He can't"  
("He's lucky that i cant talk like this through stuffed toys. If i could, i'd have given him a piece of my mind. Who is he implying shorter than a dust particles and can't be seen in a dusty place?")


	3. The Gate and the Trap

As the brothers converse with Fuhrer Mustang it becomes clear that the gate had inevitably opened and still leads to their world. Ed knew that this will lead to trouble and asked Al to ask Mustang to find a way to close the door.

"Uhh Mustang, sir, is there a way you can close the door"  
"I'm afraid there is no means in my disposal to close the gate permanently"  
("Yeah that's just like Mustang. Always boasting but never able to show results. Hmph. I would've done better if i was there)  
"Brother, you shouldn't say stuff like that"  
"Is something wrong in there Al"  
"Umm, no sir."

The quarrel raged on as Winry rushed to the gate to get a chance to meet the two Elrics. But she was stopped halfway by a group of red eyed people. And before she could resist, she was knocked out and carried away. Yes, they were Ishbalites and for some unknown reason they kidnapped Winry.

At the same time in the real world, unknown to Ed and Al, Hitler was trying a few alchemical tricks to create the ultimate empire. The Nazi army had been killing the jews in concentration camps for quite some time now. And the reason was not hatred, nor was it religious conflict. They were just tools for a grand experiment. There was a group of German Scientists who were trying to uncover the secrets of Alchemy and three years back, they achieved a great breakthrough. (Around the time Ed's father came to the real world.)

This new discovery will allow them to create infinite war machines, invulnerable tanks, superbly destructive weapons and everything in their wildest dreams. But all that has a price. The item required for all this can only be created by using living humans as ingredient. And Hitler was directing half of his war fundings into this research and after three long years, it is starting to show signs of success.

As Ed and Al focused on the gate, a group of highly trained commandos gathered near them, their order was to eliminate anyone who got near the gate. The sniper aimed straight for Ed's leg. Their intention was to play with their target before killing them. The squad leader had a smile on his face. It had been a long time he's been out hunting.

As the commandos crept ever closer, Ed and Al still gaze at the gate, finding a way to reseal the gate. They are completely unaware of the danger lurking ever closer.

Quite soon, the commandos surrounded them and after a brief struggle with Ed, captured them. Ed demanded to know what's going on and the commandos being in a good mood, decided to fulfill his last wish.

"To put it simply, Fuhrer Hitler wants to keep this place a complete secret and has ordered to kill all of you trash living around this place."  
"You can't do that."  
"Heh!"  
"You can't do that, a lot of innocent people will be killed."  
"Just shut up. You trashes don't deserve to live in our glorious new Germany."  
"And you're not in a position to complain. Trash should not meddle in the affairs of real people."  
"But don't you care if you're killing innocents or not?"  
"We just keep quiet and follow orders. Its upto the high command to tell us who lives and who dies. I dnt want to talk with you trashes anymore. This conversation ends now."

At this point, Ed had loosened a bit of his hand and is trying to clap his hands. Al was still hopelessly stuck. The most he could do was just roll around. The commandos kept them lying there as they went to eat in their tent. It was obvious that they didn't think them as a threat. The only extra precaution they took was to bind Ed's hands with metal cuffs and tie both of them to a post.

Fuhrer Mustang was also getting worried since he had stopped getting any reply from Al. However there was nothing they could do about it so they went about trying to close the gate.

Ed finally gave up when he realized that the only faint chance of using alchemy to free them was not available. No matter how hard he tries, he can't loosen his hands anymore. Al didn't have a chance to begin with.

When all hope seemed lost for the two brothers, the gate slowly started to swing open.


	4. Beyond the Gate

Mustang was about to head back to the office when Armstrong caught his attention. He was staring at him with a scared face. Mustang was about to ask him the reason for his absurd behavior when he traced Armstrong's eyes to the gate.

As Ed and Al sat there waiting for their inevitable death, the gate was slowly opening behind them. A terrible secret was about to be revealed. The origin of the creatures within the gate.

"What is this"  
"I dont know. All my muscles are trembling with excitement and an unknown fear. My muscles are warning me of a great danger"  
"Stop it with the muscle talks"  
"But Fuhrer, surely you feel it too. Something's not right"  
"Yes, something is definitely amiss, but what could it be?"

As the commando leader got out of the tent he saw that the gate was glowing. His years of experience warned him of an imminent danger so he rallied all his men and went near to take a closer look at the gate.

Ed couldn't believe his luck, the commandos had forgotten all about them and was concentrating on something behind them. Well, he wasnt going to waste time trying to find out what it could be. He concentrated as much as possible on the cuffs but he realized that it was pointless.

"Al, its no use."  
"I've done it, Brother!"  
"WHAT! You managed to break free?"  
"He he, well i did some training alone after you came to this world, so. . "  
"I tried so hard but I couldn't do it and you. . "  
"Well brother, i was just tied by a normal rope and you are held by metal cuffs so i managed to break free."  
"Ok, ok enough talk. Just free me already. Jeez Al, you are so slow."  
"Sorry brother, i'll try to be faster next time."  
"You'd better!"

So after their usual quarrel, they both managed to break free and slowly crept away from the camp.

Meanwhile, in the private chambers of Fuhrer Hitler, something important is happening.

"Fuhrer Hitler sir!"  
"What is it general?"  
"The experiment has been a success."  
"Do we have the material?"  
"Only a small amount, just enough for one transmutation."  
"How long will it take to get a usable amount?"  
"About a month Fuhrer, sir."  
"And what of the gate?"  
"Still unstable."  
"Have you sent someone to guard it?"  
"Our commando unit 5 has been dispatched there."  
"Excellent. You're dismissed."  
"Yes Sir!"

The commando leader had a tough time believing what he was seeing in front of his eyes. The strange gate had opened and there were hundreds of living eyes inside staring at him from a mass of darkness and countless hands were grabbing the air around them, desperately trying to get out. Fear spread through his veins and sent a chill down his spine and from the looks of his men it seemed as if no one is unaffected by this sight.

Back in the alchemy world, Mustang and Armstrong stands rooted to the ground as they see something that they had never seen before. The darkness inside the gate seemed to have taken a definite form and is trying to get out as a single entity. They realized that if this being is not stopped then it might mean the end of both the worlds.

"Quickly! Armstrong, you must make haste to the headquarters and bring reinforcements. Assemble all of the state alchemists here."  
"All?"  
"Yes, all. This gate must be closed at all costs. Also send some scouts to try to acquire some philosopher's stone. If it's possible."  
"Is that all? Fuhrer?"  
"Yes that is all."  
"Then i'll be off now."  
"Hurry. We have no time to lose."  
"And what will you do? Fuhrer Mustang?"  
"I will try to delay the creature's arrival. There is no time to waste. Go NOW!"

As Armstrong headed to Central City with full haste, the creature inside the gate shows more signs of life and Mustang stands ready to fight it. His calm attitude hiding his tensed mind.

Ed and Al are almost at the edge of the crater. Just a few more steps when a blood-curdling scream pierces the night sky and makes the two brothers turn around. What they saw froze them in their tracks.


End file.
